The ongoing pandemic has slowed testing for NASA’s Space Launch System megarocket, but the process is resuming and has checked off a key milestone: powering up the core stage.

Heartbreaking news. After 57 years as a world-class resource for astronomy, the iconic Arecibo telescope is to be decommissioned, or withdrawn from service, the NSF announced today. The dish-type radio telescope – built into a natural depression in the landscape in Puerto Rico – appears to be headed for a “controlled disassembly.”

Worrisome news regarding broken cables and engineering options at Arecibo Observatory, the iconic big radio dish in Puerto Rico.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew-1 spacecraft launched Sunday evening. The rocket returned to Earth for an upright landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The spacecraft went on to dock with the International Space Station on Monday evening, transporting 4 astronauts.

Jim Bridenstine is leaving the post of NASA chief administrator.

On October 29, NASA re-established contact with its Voyager 2 spacecraft, after the probe was left flying solo for 7 months while repairs were made to the radio antenna in Australia used to control it.

For the first time ever, scientists have identified water on the moon’s sunlit surface, using SOFIA, an airborne observatory. Water on the moon also appears more widespread than previously thought.